Most people don’t know, my parents owned a fairground in Sauble Beach, Ontario Canada. It was called Kiddie Land. We had rides and an 18 hole mini golf. Unlimited golf and rides, what more could a kid ask for! Today, the fairground has been removed but now sits a large mini putt course in its spot. It’s on the Main Street. It was here that my crafting journey started. In a town of less than 500 and two blurry TV stations during our winters. My mom kept us busy with crafts, specifically yarn arts, and other things.

During the winters, my mother used to make Barbie Size doll clothing. Being there was three kids, we went through cereal like crazy. Mom would cut out the boxes, make the doll clothes and then saran wrap them to the cardboard to give them as gifts. During the summers, my mom would see kids in our fairground to gift them with her creations.

Kiddie Land, Sauble Beach Ontario. My grandma and my younger brother. All of our pictures are on slides from this era in my life.

When seeing this crochet pattern, I had flash backs of my mother gifting these children. Though I cannot remember her specifically making the clothes. I think she was doing it while we were in school. Living in small towns can be really tough. I remember when my younger brother went to school for the first time, my mother was exceptionally lonely and felt like her best friend was taken away from her. With virtually no friends, vacated tourist town and no decent TV, she used the crafts to occupy her time.

In many ways, my mom is my hero and more for allowing us to find entertainment within ourselves. Today, I would rather pick up a crochet hook today then to play a video game. I would rather search through crochet patterns with dreams in my head than to watch TV.

You see, my mom taught me the power of giving oneself as you most precious and valuable gift you could ever give.

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About Mikey, The Crochet Crowd

I am Mikey, owner of The Crochet Crowd Blog. I'm a 'hooker' at heart with the passion to crochet. I am from Ontario Canada and teach how to crochet online through YouTube Video Tutorials. From a simple idea and being at the right place and time in my life back in 2008, the concept of The Crochet Crowd was developed. I'm here to hook and share. Come follow my crochet journey and share yours with comments here and you are most welcome to share your creativity within our Facebook page.

48 Responses to Retro Doll & Mikey’s Mom Memory

My name is diane Dorrance. i am 60 years old and never done anything that i was happy to show what i made.but one day i found you on you tube.And YOU change my life. i now crochet. i don’t have money to buy new yarn.So i go to goodwill and other story like that to find yarn. So i have save up yarn now to make our little school kids hats. i am in a small town so that helps me. but any way this year i am makeing hats for christmas for the kids.with your help on showing me how to do it .NOW i am a very happy lady. so thank you .

what a wonderful story, you had a great talented mum, great to have good memories of childhood.
I live in Australia and my childhood was spend living between my Grandmothers house and 3 aunts houses. All 4 of them crocheted beautiful articles and were talented dressmakers so I was allowed to have the left over scraps of fabric and wool and cotton.
none of the cousins were interested , so lucky me I got to have the lot to myself.
I use to draw dolls onto cardboard and use my scraps to design and dress them. I kept them all in a old shoebox. so your story brought back many memories, thank you.
when I started working and was able to support myself one of my first purchases was (GUESS WHAT) wool . when I made everything I could wear myself.
I started on the family and friends, over the years I have had my girls and grandchildren added to the list. eventually they were saying “thank you, but no more , we cannot wear it all.”
so now I just do scarves and afghans for nursing homes, and rugs and teddy bears for children hospitals an Rescue sites for kids.
This may look like I am so goodie-goodie, but it is also for me, as I just am so addicted to the hook. alas I am now confined to a chair, as I am disabled in movement, just 20% body movement. so it keeps me happy , busy, and from going insane LOL and keeps my poor husband busy counting my stash.
just
joined your crochet crowd and looking forward to using a pattern.
so of the photos I have seen for your members are fantastic, what clever people there are in the world.
thank you once again for your story.

It;s lovely to have memories like that. I learnt the basics of crochet years ago but have only recently got back into it. Unfortunately It has caused me a great deal of neck pain which I am seeing a physiotherapist about. I love to crochet so I hope to get this sorted out! .I love to see all your posts on facebook. Keep up the good work! Regards, Mary.

Mikey, TY for sharing. My Mom taught me to Crochet when I was very little. In fact I can not remember not knowing how to Crochet 😉 Then when I had little ones of my own she Croched them beautiful Barbie outfits which she too had cut out the Cereal box Barbie shape and put the clothes on it to sen to us. Such wonderful memories. I guess great MOM’s think alike. {X}

My mom used to have a cottage in Sauble Beach when my son was young (1980-1985). We went to Kiddieland many times. I have photos of him on the Ferris Wheel and playing mini-golf. Just think – our paths may have crossed without us realizing it. The world is all about connections…

What wonderful memories. My mother taught me to crochet in the 50’s. I was in grade school and had bouts of tonsiltis every winter until they finally were taken out in 1957. I did not look at being sick and home as a bad thing because it always gave me quality time with my mother and I got to learn to crochet.

That is a really nice memory. My mom used to crochet baby bibs with monograms for each new baby in the family. Since I started crocheting, I began doing the same. My sisters and I used to get doll clothes from the ladies who lived in my grandmother’s building. My other grandmother was a seamstress, so we would get clothing, homemade dolls, and doll clothing from her. I know I got my craft sense from those special women in my life. Thanks for sharing and for having this site‼ 🙂

We lived in the country and winters in northern New York were excruciatingly boring. Tv was limited to one hour and the rest of the time you found something to keep yourself busy. My mom taught me to knit and crochet. I am left handed and my mom right handed. I remember the hours she would sit in front of me and teach me first knitting and then crocheting. At 85 with severe arthritis she finds it almost impossible to crochet but when a new great-grandchild is coming she will pick up a crochet hook and start working on a baby blanket. To this day we still laugh about the difficult time she had teaching me to knit and crochet but I always try to let her know how much I appreciated her encouragement and patients.

Thanks for sharing this great story. I had my 5th birthday party at Kiddie Land in Maryland. This story has brought back some really great memories for me and my Dad who passed away when I was eleven. Hugs

Fascinating “back story”, Mikey…my parents and relatives all came from Canada–as a matter of fact, Canadian French was my “first” language. All my tantes and my grand’mere spoke french and taught me knitting–but not crochet–I am really enjoying following your Granny “circle to square” tutorial. thank you so much for this…hugs, Julierose

Mikey, you taught me how to Crochet 8 months ago. I’am so addicted now i have a been of yarn, a weaving machine and a cozy chair and lamp. Thank you. Crocheting has taught me how to meditate, to be still and have peace of mind. I have given projects away and i have sold hats. In my group people want me to teach them or make them stuff. I say here go to see Mikey at Crohet Crowd, and would it be nice if you learned how and give the gift that you made to someone.Thank you again you have a fan for life in me. You were in my hood when you were near the Hollywood sign.. hope you loved our weather or lack of weather today its gonna be 90 its winter.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful memory. I totally agree that is something important to teach children, how to entertain and be with themselves, alone. Very good adult tool to have.
I really like that she saran wrapped the Barbie clothes to cardboard. That is Adorable~!

Thanks so much for that memory flashback! What a kind an loving person she was to do that. I also remember my mom crocheting edges for the altar cloths in our parish. She is why I started crocheting (and knitting) at about 10 yrs. old. What a legacy to leave us! I am so grateful ! Thanks again Mike for fond memories!

Hey Mikey, I was just talking to my sister about crocheting doll clothes for the dolls for her daycare….you know how small children are curious about naked dolls….My sister told me she could use more and it might help with the other problem if the kids have a good variety of clothes for the dolls…

Thanks for sharing this fond memory from your childhood. Memories are the best things you take with you because they cant be left behind or taken away. My childhood did not include crochet, as neither my Mother or Grandmother knew how. So as a young expectant wife I taught myself from a book and taught them! My Grandmother has long since been gone but I still have some of the pieces she made. My Mother is 85 and crochets everyday. I cant remember how many things she has made and given away to
family and friends, but believe me when I say it has been a lot! Like your Mom she is sharing part of herself. We enjoy picking out patterns and shopping for yarn when we are together. I am so blessed to still have her and her crochet still in my life.

Amazing story! Both my grandmothers crocheted (one, if not both, of my kids has a gorgeous round white baby afghan that my maternal grandmother made in anticipation of any possible great-grandkids…she died a bit over a year after my second child was born), and my mom picked it up a couple years ago after I don’t know how many years away from the craft. I just started crocheting again after about 6 years and completed my first major project *ever* last night (more like in the wee hours of this morning)…and my daughter is already begging me to teach her how to crochet! We shall see, as she is right-handed and I am a southpaw. 🙂

You CAN teach your daughter to crochet, Christina. You both need to sit in front of a mirror and she needs to watch you IN THE MIRROR. It will look to her like you are crocheting right-handed. I’m right-handed but taught my left-handed nephew how to do lots of stuff this way. Give it a try… you will be amazed.

I really enjoyed reading your story Mikey. My Mom wasn’t too crafty herself but she made sure I went to summer classes and camps to learn arts and crafts. There weren’t many kids my age in our neighborhood so she gave me the gift of being able to entertain myself.

Hi Mikey,
This is a heart-warming story of your family. I lived on a farm in upstate N.Y. w/my grandma, Mom & Dad. when I was little, I loved cutting out my paper dolls. I was an only child & helping my mom f& grandma bake, tend the farm animals was fun for me.
My grandma taught lessons on leather glove making & caning of chairs. Also, she made beautiful fresh moss wreaths for the holidays. We did many crafts. I miss those days, but, I can reflect on my memories.

That’s what I’ve been doing lately, well last month. Making barbie doll clothes to donate to my sister school where she works. Her children she teaches are all under five. Because some very kind people sent me donations of yarn, I was able to make better color combinations then just the one plain color. I have always tired to help other people with my creative projects. For personal reasons it’s getting harder for me now but I still try and do a little something. Thank you Mikey your the one that gave me the gift of crochet. I only originally wanted to learn shell stitch for granny square but from then onwards I was hooked. I have met many more crochet friends. I can’t believe it was three years ago now that I picked up the hook. I know you hear it all the time, but thanks so much for sharing your personal life growing up and also your tutorials etc.

I taught myself how to crochet and after my dad died I taught my mom to crochet, it kept her busy for many hours in a long day by herself, and even after she went to a nursing home she kept up her crocheting, after a few years her work began to look pretty awful, but I encouraged her to keep crocheting, and I would take her work home and unwind it and give her back nice new balls of yarn to make more, she never knew of course, I miss my mom every day, and I am glad that I could share my knowledge of crochet with her to help keep her happy.

I remembered the fairground in sauble beach, as my parents had a trailer at spry lake. Use to play putt golf during summer time. I have alot of fond memories growing up as a kid into young adult. My dad 5 yrs ago gave up the trailer soon after my mom pass away. Thanks for reminder. Xo

That’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing, Mikey. I, myself, am hoping to teach my son some of these things. I want him to have a creative outlet in some form, and your story is exactly why. Thank you and your dear mother for keeping me inspired!

Thank you Mikey for that lovely memory. I worked on Billy Smart’s circus as a wardrobe mistress for a touring season and all the females crafted, knitted or crocheted. And I also cashiered on a summer fairground at the seaside for a while. The person I worked for taught me to crochet. Your story told me why it is ingrained in you. Bet your mom is so proud of your journey. Love to you x

My mom taught me how to crochet when I was stuck home from school with the mumps – over 40 years ago! I used to make my Barbie and other dolls clothes and I still have some of them. Your story brought back some fond memories – thank-you!

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